


Beats and Barks.

by BaudelaireCopay



Category: Original Work
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:54:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29298486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BaudelaireCopay/pseuds/BaudelaireCopay





	Beats and Barks.

The chained children were singing, Eti knew because she could hear them. The song was odd, not one of the songs they usually sang when they brought her food, it had been so long, the Children had changed, now they slapped her with oars, deafened her music and dried up her pond. 

The song started up again, now she heard it better;  
“Old Rower is dead,  
And gone to his grave.”

This voice was deeper, older. When the reply came it was shrill, thin and light.  
“Hmm Haa gone to his grave.”

“They planted a Mango Tree over his head”

“Hmm, Haa, Over his hea-”

“Enough of the bloody singing already.” This voice was different, a sea sponge, light but filled with gaping holes. “The coral is two paces ahead. Mining should be easy from here, those on the left grab for the coral, pull it straight out in big chunks, as large as you can pull. No crumblings. Those on the left, kill anything that comes near us, still the whole damn lake if you have to.”

The first voice responded “Sir, the.., the money first sir.” The Jingle of gold, followed by the clank of brass. Chains scraped against each other as the sardines got up. 

The payer was pale, ill suited for the sun, like he Albino fishes she kept in her gowns. But the Children were Children, eyes black as fertile loam, skin the rough brown of trees. Hair like sheep wool.

The Children rose and began chanting, she didn’t kill them yet. Her crown shivered and she relinquished it with a sigh, she could always get another one. 

Their skin began to peel, first at the fingers mud black dripped off leaving smooth white, then the arms, the skin flaked off like a leopard’s, large spots of white with little pale islands of brown. 

Now she opened her mouth, swallowing the canoe whole. It was barely a snack but it reminded her of too pleasant memories, of days before the Children. Of blood and darkness.


End file.
